Day one (close): India 179-1 v England

From the top: Gautam Gambhir recorded a brisk half century for India on the first day of the second Test against England at MohaliPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

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Crucial Test: England need to pick up early wickets if they are to trouble IndiaPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

By Telegraph staff and agencies

6:30AM GMT 19 Dec 2008

Gautam Gambhir has completed his fourth Test century as India progressed towards a formidable total in the final Test against England.

The 27-year-old left-hander completed his century midway through the final session of the opening day, having played a lead role in an unbroken 173-run partnership with Rahul Dravid which guided India to a powerful 179 for one, when bad light halted play after India won the toss and decided to bat.

Gambhir enjoyed one reprieve on 70 when he was dropped by Paul Collingwood at full-stretch at slip after edging off-spinner Graeme Swann, but otherwise England struggled to trouble him after the early stages of the day.

He hit 11 fours and a six off Swann and with Dravid claiming his first half-century in nine Test innings, it completed another tough day in the field for the tourists just four days after the disappointment of losing the opening Test in Chennai.

England had been given a flying start, after play began 20 minutes late for bad light, with Stuart Broad marking his recall by dismissing opener Virender Sehwag with his sixth ball of the match.

Chosen as a replacement for Steve Harmison, who was dropped for the second time this year, Broad's recall was vindicated in only the second over of the match when he seamed the ball away from Sehwag and induced an edge behind.

But despite an impressive new ball spell from Broad, England struggled to build on that success as Gambhir and Dravid exploited a flat batting wicket and undermined the tourists' hopes of levelling the series.

Dravid entered the match under great pressure to perform after just two half centuries in his last 19 Test innings and began cautiously, taking 46 balls to reach double figures which he achieved with his first aggressive shot of the innings when he pulled James Anderson for his first boundary in five Tests.

Gambhir was the more positive of the pair before lunch, but after the interval the roles were reversed with Dravid suddenly finding his touch to hit three boundaries inside the first four overs after the break.

Dravid followed Gambhir to his half-century in the final over before tea when he clipped all-rounder Andrew Flintoff through midwicket for two to underline India's dominance.

Their stand was almost broken as Gambhir approached his hundred, calling Dravid for the single which would have taken him to three figures, after pushing Broad for a single, only to send him scurrying back to the non-striker's end which he reached just before Kevin Pietersen's direct hit from mid-off.

He reached the three-figure landmark in the next over, clipping Anderson off his legs for two, to firmly establish India's dominance as the light faded at the PCA Stadium.